A New Zealand women's magazine has published controversial images of Prince William and his bride, the Duchess of Cambridge, on their honeymoon - and a rival editor says the photos breached the couple's trust.

This week's edition of Woman's Day features photos of the royal couple on a Seychelles beach not long after their wedding last year.

The photos were first published last week by the Australian version of Woman's Day. They have not been published by British media, who voluntarily agreed not to cover the honeymoon.

The royal family are reportedly upset about the images. A spokesman told Britain's Daily Mail the couple considered their honeymoon to be a very private event.

"For this reason they asked the media to respect their privacy. That is something they continue to do."

New Zealand Woman's Day editor Sido Kitchin made no mention of the photos in her editorial in this week's edition, only that her work-related trip to Fiji was no comparison to Wills' and Kate's island getaway.

New Zealand Woman's Weekly editor Sarah Stuart, in her editorial this week, described the photographer's actions as a "breach of trust".

"It was a betrayal of a couple resigned to the fact their lives are not their own, but who believed they had been given just this one personal moment alone," she said.

"That breach of trust on William and Kate's honeymoon was, I believe, a thoroughly modern kind of treason."

Monarchy NZ chairman Dr Sean Palmer said publication of the photos was unfortunate, but showed the royals' popularity in NZ.

Even Lewis Holden, chairman of NZ Republic, said running the photos was bad form. "There was an agreement made before the honeymoon."